Florida Panthers Need One More To Raise Lord Stanley's Cup

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Following their leaders who got them this far in the playoffs and a winning recipe that has worked all season, the Florida Panthers are on the verge of lifting the Stanley Cup.

Captain Aleksander Barkov set up a goal and scored another, Sergei Bobrovsky made some of the biggest of his 32 saves to thwart a comeback bid and the Panthers held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 3 of the Cup Final on Thursday night.

They can win the first title in franchise history as soon as Game 4 on Saturday night in Edmonton.

Florida took another step toward hockey's mountaintop by pouncing on a handful of Edmonton turnovers and keeping Connor McDavid from scoring a goal. A late rally got the Oilers within one but fell short, as the Panthers leaned on Bobrovsky, who made a highlight-reel stop on Ryan McLeod in the final minutes to preserve the victory.

The last year a team based in Canada won the Stanley Cup was Montreal in 1993, months before the Panthers' inaugural season. Until this series, they had gone 1-8 in the final.

To end Canada's Cup drought, Edmonton will need to complete a comeback from down 3-0 that has been done just four times in NHL playoff history -- and once in the final all the way back in 1942.

Get our free mobile app

Game four is Saturday in Edmonton.

LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

Gallery Credit: Peter Richman